This government school in Nagaland does it differently to shine

Reyivolü Rhakho
Kohima, June 10 (EMN): While government schools, in general, have gained notoriety for poor academic performance, it will be unfair to paint all with the same brush as a dozen of them had recorded 100% success in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination conducted by the NBSE this year. The Government High School, Kigwema is one of them.

Located about 14 km away from the state capital Kohima, the Government High School (GHS), Kigwema has been consistently performing well in HSLC exams for years now, securing 90% success in 2019 (one student failed), 96% in 2020 (one student failed) and 100% in 2021 and 2022.

And the credit for this success goes to the school administration, teachers and parents. Imposing a blanket ban on use of mobile phones at school, extra effort from teachers and other measures during the last academic year (2021-22) paid off.

Kevitsiano Luho, headmistress of the school, shed more light on its administration with Eastern Mirror.

No mobile phones

With an exception during the pandemic, when classes had to be conducted online, the school decided to restrict use of mobile phones as many students were found using it when classroom learning resumed. So, the school administration, in consultation with parents/guardians, seized mobile phones from those found using it and returned them only after the HSLC examination was over.

This exercise, the headmistress said, helped improve students’ performance.

It has been three years now since the school has not taken any new students for Class 10 because the percentage counts from the enrolment of students under the NBSE. The school also normally has quite a good number of students –26 in 2020 and 34 in 2022, she said.

Been in the rural area, the foundation is weak, so the school insists the parents to send their children to school. The school has classes 7 to 10 with students coming from Kigwema and its neighbouring villages. It has been upgraded to a higher secondary (Science stream) but yet to start the academic session.

No proxy teaching

“We have no extraordinary teachers yet the teachers are very regular and very sincere, and I always give credit to my teachers,” said Luho.

‘Classes are never missed. If a teacher happens to be on casual leave, another would immediately occupy the classes and there are no proxy teaching at all,’ she added.

She said that the school is not short of teachers, except in language (Tenyidie) but that did not stop the institute from offering the subject because students “do well” in Tenyidie. At present, two graduates with diploma in Tenyidie are teaching the subject.

The school currently has a total of 13 qualified (graduates) teachers, a physical education teacher, SUPW, and carpentry instructor.

Model tests

In 2021, the school conducted as many as four model tests for Class 10 students before the HSLC examinations.

‘The more we conduct test, the better it is for the students,’ the headmistress said, adding that assignments are also important.

Under the Samagra Shiksha mission, remedial facilities in the form of remedial classes for English, Mathematics, and Science were given to the students last year.

‘There are so many activities for the schools coming straight from the Centre and it keeps us busy. But we see to it that Class 10 students are not too involved into it so that they can focus more on their studies,’ she added.

Extra classes

For students who are weaker in studies, the subject concern teachers have to give more attention. The two “most dreaded subjects” are Mathematics and Science but the school has two teachers who are “too good” and “never leave” the students, she said.

‘The teachers, particularly in the two subjects (Mathematics and Science) used to conduct extra sessions after classes are over. A lot depends on teachers and they really give their best. But unfortunately many still struggled in Mathematics,’ she added.

Transparency with parents

The school calls the parents, let them understand the situation of their child and sought co-operation from them. Parents may not be able to teach their children at home and so the school asks them to keep motivating them and see that they come to school regularly, Luho said.

To maintain transparency among teachers and parents, the subject teachers discuss in person with pupil’s parents/guardians about their weak and plus points, only then, parents will sign pupil’s cumulative record (CR). This exercise is done every term because, when progress reports are handed to students, it does not reach parents.

‘If we neglect those areas, it really hampers the child’s progress. We have to tackle them that way otherwise they just go haywire,’ she added.

The headmistress went on to say that during the annual felicitation programme for Class 10 passed students, subject teachers used to reward students who score distinction with cash awards. It could motivate the students to work hard, she added.

Currently, there are 36 students in Class 10; who will appear HSLC examination in 2023. The present Class 10 students are the “real victims of the pandemic”. ‘During their classes 8 and 9, which is a foundation part, they were under the pandemic situation, and so we are really worried. A hat trick (100% success for three consecutive years) will be difficult but we will try for that,’ she said.